


Heterochromia Irises

by WinterAssets



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Therapy, it says reader but a lot of this is a major character study on mike after the cabin, nothing too graphic but the cabin is referenced and the events that happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-04 03:49:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5319335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterAssets/pseuds/WinterAssets
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>And he does it for a while; he stops answering Sam’s calls, stops asking how Josh’s recovery is going, and stops all together. He doesn’t pick up for his parents either. He doesn’t go out of the house unless it’s to go to his therapy appointment and pick up his medication. He tries to even avoid contact with anyone there though, and he winds up more skittish than he wants to admit because hello, he’s a certified badass and has fought off wendigos, thank you very much. </i>
</p>
<p>OR</p>
<p>The one where Mike Munroe is in some serious therapy after the events at the cabin and his road to recovery.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heterochromia Irises

There’s this certain brutal honesty behind Mike ever since that night at the cabin. He’s in therapy now, trying to recover, and there’s this certain edge to him when people get too close. After Jess, there’s no one that can blame him, and as much as his friends check in, sometimes Mike just wants to forget and pretend they don’t exist. If they don’t exist, then neither does the trauma that happened. His therapist says that he’s just in denial still, and Mike won’t argue that fact, but something still makes him want to pull away from everyone. 

And he does it for a while; he stops answering Sam’s calls, stops asking how Josh’s recovery is going, and stops all together. He doesn’t pick up for his parents either. He doesn’t go out of the house unless it’s to go to his therapy appointment and pick up his medication. He tries to even avoid contact with anyone there though, and he winds up more skittish than he wants to admit because _hello_ , he’s a certified  _badass_  and has fought off  _wendigos_ , thank you  _very much_. 

But then he remembers; he remembers the sanitarium, remembers why fingers are missing, remembers how dysfunctional he is now, and he just wants to  _run_. Running is better than living at this point, and he knows that’s the worst thing he can really think. That’s taking five steps back in his therapy program, but he can’t help it.

His therapist tells him that he’s going to end up driving himself crazy if he keeps it up, and Mike wants to chase it away and tell him he’s wrong, but he knows that he’s  _right_  and that’s the worst part. He agrees to volunteer; his therapist insists that it’s a really good step and that being around people who are happy to be there might change his opinion.

To his surprise, it’s at an animal shelter, and he takes a few moments in his car when he pulls out front. The images flash again and he sucks in a deep breath, his fingers shaking as he glances at the glove box. He knows his emergency stash is in there, but he forces himself out of the car before he can take one. Animals are therapeutic, and he’s always liked them, so why bother freaking out and trying to leave? Why medicate when maybe his therapist could be right?

Mike pulls in a few deep breaths and heads in, the sounds of happy barks reaching his ears and almost making a giddy feeling seep into his chest. This is  _different_  from what he’s been doing every day, and it almost feels  _good_. There’s not many employees around, and if they are around, they’re rushing through doors and into kennels. He kind of just takes it all in for a minute and lets the sound of everything rush around in his mind. For a minute, it blocks out all the thoughts, and it’s refreshing. He feels  _normal_  for the first time since the cabin.

His hand hesitates over the bell when the door behind the desk opens, a girl rushing through it and stopping so hard at the counter that she lets out an audible  _oof_. Her hair is a wreck and Mike just _stares_  because for the first time since Jess his mind goes into that familiar  _overdrive_  that it goes through when he’s checking a girl out.

“I was going to ask what I can help you with, but you must be Mike. Mr. Sansi gave a pretty good description when he called on the phone.” Her smile is light and friendly, but Mike can’t help the feeling of insecurity as her eyes drift down to his hand, and he subconsciously curls the cuff of his jacket over his fingers despite the heat starting to pick up in Alberta. Mike wears coats almost all the time; they’re easier to hide things in right when this happens. She gives him an apologetic look, but she doesn’t dwell on it. “You’ll just have to fill out these forms and then we’re ready to go.”

She hands over a clipboard and pen, a stack of easily ten papers on it that make Mike want to groan. He leans over the counter and begins to fill in the spaces, and she gives him space and quiet. 

He actually  _appreciates_  that.

Once he’s done he hands the forms back and she briefs over them and smiles, then sets the clipboard underneath the counter. “I’ll enter them into the computer in a bit – I’ve got much more important things to do. Welcome to the team, Mike. We’re happy to have you.”

She doesn’t offer her hand for a formal shake, and Mike almost wants to  _cry_  because it’s  _perfect_.

* * *

It’s three months into the program when Mike realizes that without thinking about it, he’s stopped wearing coats. It’s in the heat of summer and he parks his car in the usual spot, sunglasses on his face and white tank top on his chest. He doesn’t notice the change until he looks in the rear view mirror and realizes that he can see his bare shoulders. 

It surprises him, but he pushes it away. It’s all a part of therapy, he reasons with himself, and heads into the building. He’s greeted with a husky running around the lobby, leash attached and Mike just smirks when he sees her run through the door.

“Kento get back here!” A loud groan escapes her lips and she skids to a halt, stepping on the husky’s leash as she stares at Mike, not expecting to see him there just yet. A sheepish smile slips onto her features and she awkwardly clears her throat. “He uh, he was supposed to be getting fed.”

Mike lets out his own laugh and kneels down, opening his arms and clucking with his tongue. Kento runs straight to him and licks his face before rolling onto his back, presenting his belly to be rubbed. Mike’s eyes soften immediately as he begins to scratch at the soft fur, watching as Kento’s leg begins to go frantically. 

“He really likes you, you know.” She says softly, leaning against the wall and watching the interaction carefully. She gets that look on her face any time he interacts with the dogs, but with Kento specifically. He had been brought in a month after Mike had started working at the shelter, and he had been in bad shape. She and Mike had nursed it back to health, and she gave Mike a knowing smile every time someone gave an inquiry about the husky. “Have you ever thought about having him full time and adopting him?”

Her voice is curious but edging on hopeful, and Mike stills for a moment. His hand is resting on Kento’s belly and he’s not sure, but something in him nearly expands at the idea of his apartment not being so empty, so lonely. Solitude isn’t too much fun anymore, and him and Kento are more than well acquainted.

There’s a big factor though, and he knows that Kento is his tie to the girl. They had helped the dog together, and Kento was very much their baby. Kento reached down and licked at Mike’s hand, and Mike made his mind up in the hopeful heterochromia of Kento’s face.

“Depends, does the girl come with the dog?” Mike’s eyes come up to meet the girl’s, who looks oddly impressed at the smooth transition. Kento gets up from underneath the boy’s arm and walks over to the girl, nudging at her thigh with his nose. 

“You get one date to seal the deal, Munroe.” She states, and she tries to be firm, but there’s a smile threatening to tug at her lips. Mike smiles and raises from his spot on the floor.

“I’ll take it – I know it’ll be sealed, no problem.” His hands rest on his hips and he knows that he’s got some form of confidence going that he hasn’t in so long. She smiles and walks over, grabs him by the back of his neck, and presses a firm kiss to his lips before pulling back.

“I’ve wanted to do that since day one. Nice to see that you actually have balls.”

Mike wants to say something back, wants to have a great comeback, but he has none. He just smiles stupidly as Kento runs around him barking and licking at his hand.

For the first time since the cabin, Mike watches the girl’s ass as she disappears through the kennel doors and bites his lip, because  _yeah_ , he  _still_  has it. It’s rusty, but it’s him, and he’s recovering and so is everything else.


End file.
